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A prominent technology analyst predicted that Apple Inc. would release a “tablet” or mini-computer for sale early next year, and that it could boost the consumer electronics company’s revenue by 3 percent in 2010.

Speculation of a tablet from Apple has been swirling among analysts and technology blogs for a couple years as other PC makers post big sales of netbooks.

The tablet from Apple will look like an iPod Touch, but a bit larger, said Gene Munster, a Piper Jaffray analyst, in a research note Friday. He said he spoke with an Asian component supplier that had received orders from Apple for a touch-screen device that would need to be filled by late this year.